Activists of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami fought pitched battles with the police and torched scores of vehicles in the city on Monday afternoon after the law enforcers intercepted the party’s protest march. About 20 vehicles, including four police cars, were burnt and damaged during the clashes that spread across a large area from Kakrail to Shantinagar and Paltan.Reports of clashes between the Jamaat activists and police also came from different parts of the country, including Chittagong and Comilla that left about 100 more people injured.
Leaders and activists of Jamaat took to the streets on the day in protest against the ‘conspiracy’ to try the party leaders on ‘false’ charges by using a ‘black law’ and demanding their release. Jamaat claimed that at least 700 leaders and activists were injured and 400 were arrested across the country. Dhaka Metropolitan Police said that they had arrested 75 persons during clashes with Jamaat activists in Dhaka city.
After the clashes, the police on Monday night arrested Jamaat’s acting secretary general ATM Azharul Islam at the party’s Moghbazar headquarters. Witnesses said ATM Azhar was arrested when he was coming out of the party’s central office after a press conference. Jamaat publicity secretary Tasneem Alam was also arrested along with him. DMP Ramna zone deputy commissioner Krishnapada Roy confirmed the arrest of the Jamaat leaders.
The injured policemen were given treatment at Central Police Hospital at Rajarbagh while a number of Jamaat activists were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Police in some districts foiled the Jamaat demonstrations without any major incidents by arresting its leaders and activists.
A large number of police and members of Armed Police Battalion with water cannons and armoured carriers were deployed at different places ahead of the scheduled demonstrations in Dhaka.
The capital’s Kakrail, Paltan, Bijaynagar, Shantinagar and Malibagh areas turned into virtual battlefields during the clashes that left around 100 people, including 30 police personnel injured.
Police fired several hundred shots, mostly rubber bullets, and tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.
Jamaat activists set fire to at least 17 vehicles, including two police vans, a police jeep and a prison van during the violence. The activists also attacked buses and other vehicles and torched nine motorcycles.
Witnesses said police had charged batons and fired a barrage of tear gas shells to disperse hundreds of Jamaat activists who gathered at the Diploma Engineers Institute at Nightingale crossing at Kakrail to march towards Paltan.
But police swung into action and tried to disperse them by using batons. Soon the clashes spread out to Paltan, Bijaynagar, Fakirerpool and Malibagh areas.
Activists of Jamaat and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir confronted the police with sticks and hurled stones during the nearly two-hour clashes.
A large number of people, mostly those returning home from work, suffered as transports went off the roads and police also cordoned off the intersections at Paltan, Bijaynagar, Kakrail and Malibagh restricting movement of traffic.
The demonstrators, in the face of firing of tear gas and rubber bullets, retreated to different nearby lanes from where they hurled stones at police.
Most of the shops and business establishments remained closed in the areas during the clashes.
Correspondent in Chittagong reported that activists of Jamaat had vandalised several vehicles in the port city on Monday afternoon. At least three policemen, including CMP assistant commissioner Abdul Mannan, were injured in the clashes triggered by police action on the Jamaat activists trying to stage demonstrations in Muradpur area of the port city. Police arrested a number of activists at the spot.
In Comilla the activists of Jamaat clashed with police for about an hour after the law enforcers stopped a procession in Chawkbazar area. The angry demonstrators smashed windowpanes of four commercial banks and attacked buses. The police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse about 4,000 activists and arrested 11 people at the spot.
People gripped by panic rushed to the streets from their offices and residences and called loved ones after the tremor started at around 6:45pm.
The epicentre of the quake was 490km northwest of Agargaon Met office in Dhaka, an official said.
Reports of tremor came from Manikganj, Gazipur, Kishoreganj, Khulna, Chittagong and Rajshahi.
The quake also hit northern India on Sunday, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage to buildings, reports news agency Reuters.
The US Geological Survey said on its website the quake was centred 64 km north west of Gangtok, in Sikkim. It was 10 km deep.
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Wednesday, October 26, 2011 12:55 AM GMT+06:00 (19 hours ago)
What an errant family of workers the minister is maintaining for his political purpose. I am quite concerned that these errant people were allowed to disrespect Shaheed Minar complex without any resistance from the police. The bold picture reveals the sense that they have occupied our foundation of independence for their personal interest having no national interest at all...is it a drama staged at the Sheed Minar to demonstrate their popularity and solidarity with the government? What a choice to demonstrate against a committed soul whose public record is much more superior than the ministers most likely blessing the notorious event. Shame!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 12:57 AM GMT+06:00 (19 hours ago)
I have lost my words to describe this. This is ridiculous. Where is the dignity and morals of these people?
I strongly codemn this. As a civil society we have to unite and ensure road safety at any cost.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 12:58 AM GMT+06:00 (19 hours ago)
I cannot imagine how much our society has deteriorated! And it is very unfortunate that the State is backing such deterioration. Demanding safe road is not centred with an individual, it is for all even the criminal minister who is misleading the unconscious transport workers. Alas! Unfortunate for the nation! Criminality dominates society!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 06:20 AM GMT+06:00 (13 hours ago)
Hoodlums heedless of basic common road sense, parading their ability to cow down a whole nation and administration, and given political cover by a transport gangster turned minister, who in turn is sheltered by a PM whose lust to win elections has seemingly become monstrous!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 07:18 AM GMT+06:00 (12 hours ago)
Mr Ali is talking against the interest of public. It will undoutedly go against the interest of the ruling power in the next election. Wait & see.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 07:25 AM GMT+06:00 (12 hours ago)
Shame on the Shipping Minister!!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 08:41 AM GMT+06:00 (11 hours ago)
This is not true. The drivers are not always responsible for all accidents. It happens for different reasons. What about the driver of Tarique Masud's microbus? Branding all drivers as killer is totally wrong.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 10:39 AM GMT+06:00 (9 hours ago)
There are two sides of the coin... We tend to hold the drivers responsible only, which is justified to some extent as they are the primary perpetrator. But what about those people who actually own the buses and hire these drivers in return for low salaries? Why are going Scot-free? Drivers are only employees. If the rich, so-called educated owner groups are utter callous in maintaining employee plus vehicle standards, then the subsequent results will only be accidents. This group is the main culprit pulling strings from behind.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 10:46 AM GMT+06:00 (9 hours ago)
It's really alarming to see an angry mob or drivers/helpers chanting slogan against road safety campaigners. Now, it's time to find out their interests are whether evil or not, and take initiatives to solve the issue accordingly.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 10:50 AM GMT+06:00 (9 hours ago)
Such loathsome dirty stinking sick fools are polluting the sanctity of Shaheed Minar. This is reprehensible. And just think, their leader is a ruling party minister! Perhaps we need an avatar to cleanse our homeland from all sorts of such pitiable 'performances'. I am sure the movement for safe roads would be further strengthened by such nefarious deeds, and Ilias Kanchan would be endeared by the people for his selfless noble cause.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 11:45 AM GMT+06:00 (8 hours ago)
It shameful for the whole nation that being a public representative and minister Shahjan stood beside the killer transport drivers ignoring mass peoples sentiment and fading the government image.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 09:58 AM GMT+06:00 (10 hours ago)
This so called minister is not at all capable for being a minister! This minister should rather stay in the line of all those illiterate transport workers not in the cabinet!
And if Prime Minister doesn't remove him from his position, then it'll be a questionable mystery always that what's Prime Minister's intention?
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 02:54 PM GMT+06:00 (5 hours ago)
Oh no!
It is totally unexpected.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 02:56 PM GMT+06:00 (5 hours ago)
All drivers are not killer at all. But shipping minister should have shame...